The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-05-17

the proposed State Railroad Commission
Bill and the operation of the Interstate
Commerce law:
Some of the people of Palatka appear
to appreciate what il Is to be discrimi-
mated against in the matter OF railroad
freights from other States. III they will
investigate the subject, and discard the
statements of the railroad organs, we
doubt not they will declare as strongly
in favor of a Commission in Florida to
control the railroads and not to protect
them in their exOrbitant and discrlmi-
mating rates. as they have in favor of the
enforcement of the fourth section of the
Interstate Commerce law"
Now in this confusion is created
which works positive injustice The
resolutions of the Board on the State
Commission Bill We're plain and short
it simply protested against the estab-
lishment of an irresponsible body from
whose decisions there should be no APP
peal. The whole situation has been
already clearly defined by THE PALATKA
News. There is no objection whatever
to the enactment of law which shall
be Just to the roads, while guarding in
the strongest terms the rights of the
people and furnishing any fraud or impo-
sition on shippers. Palatka, in common
with all the people of the State, de
mand the passage of such a law. The
be great benefit to the State, but in its
first form, as urged by our Board of
Trade, it would have been an injury.
Through its Committee on Transpor-
tation the same Board has asked the en-
forcement of the long and short haul
clause of the Interstate law. but
there is no contrast between the two pO-
sitions as the Times Union would imply
We object to an unjust State law-the
McKinne Bill would carry us from one
extreme to the other, and we ask only a
law which would compel the transpor-
tatiOn companies 10 do us justice. The
Interstate Commerce law will do for
| the whole country what commission.
properly organized, would do for the
State, and we ask the Commission to
enforce It's most important provision.
With regard to the national law our po-
sirion cannot be better stated than in the
| following words of Mr.. Call i'm the Sen
ate on January 18th last:
I'VE have heard great deal read from
| various books as to the evils of discrimi-
nation. | concur in all of them. 1t
| ought to be prohibited: it is properly the
| subject Of Congressional enactment. The
| railroads should he forbidden to combine
| to- discriminate unreasOnably against
persons or places. That would cure that
| evil.
| Now the question is how far this gen
eral provision of the bill against all com
binatiOns. how far this general provision
of the bill establishing an arbitrary rule
| of long haul or a short haul, Will an
swer the purpose. The evil let US bear
in mind, Is an unjust discrimination be
tween persons and places. The object
| sought to be obtained is the cheapest
transportation, equal impartial, and fan
| to all the productions of the country, t.
all the transportation of the country
| the cheapest rate consistent with what
| With the proper compensation of the
men who have constructed and who
| operate these highways. including the
| cost of construction and maintenance
The evil we propose to remedy Is exces
sIve rates, unequal rates, I'M Just dis
elimination between persons and places